A Pyromancer's Oath
by oddfan47
Summary: "Man, what did I get myself into? Oh hey! Name's Duncan, and what just happened..even I can't believe...I...I thought the outcome would end here. not this way! Just read and follow me and my friends to unexpected turns and relax, I won't let anything happen to you... It's in my oath."
1. Chapter 1

_**(Hey guys I'm still new at this so it would help if you can give any constructive criticism, that would be nice)**_

CHAPTER 1: THE DAY MY LIFE CHANGED

"There he is! Come on guys, let's get him! DUNCAN I'M COMING FOR YOU!." Yelled the jock named Zak. Oh hi! Um, you're probably wondering what's going on, well to put it in simple terms, this bully was hurting my friend David and I went to try to stop him. Of course me being the skinny weakling he decided to change threatening directions towards me. Zak is the typical 6'5 muscle bound football player in 10th grade for the 3rd time, bully. You know blonde, letter jacket in red, white school colors, those _'perfect blue eyes, bold chin and physic body'_ that all the girls fall for. Here I am the 5'1/2 bookworm. Black hair, red eyes (for some reason) but let's get back to now, where at least I'm fast enough to outrun Zak for a couple of minutes as I dashed out the door and fled towards the garden at the courtyard of the school.

"Oh…ma…man I… need …to… outrun … tall, tan, and stupid." I pant as if my life depended on it, which it did. I've never paid attention to it but this garden seems pretty old, or at least the part I ran to. The area I was in was a circular area in the middle of the school but was condemned to a courtyard which later became a garden. The area of the place was at least the size of a football field, and the whole place was a maze with 8ft tall hedges. That's when the weirdness started, a faint glow was coming from somewhere in the maze, so what did I do? I went toward it of course. Then the sky, which was a nice blue hinted with white stripes with the ever going warm rays of heat emitted from the sun just went black, and I mean, very powerful dark sky that was hinting of an emerging thunderstorm kind of dark sky, you get me? Well anyways that faint glow wasn't that _faint _anymore. It was now getting about as bright as a _headlight coming towards you_ kind of bright.

I make a right turn over the almost shifting looking of garden décor' which went from modern plastic lady bugs kind of things, to marble (_cracked, yellowed looking_) statues which looked like…Cyclopes? Minotaur? Then some weird, fat looking frog. Then there was a stone tablet and caved on it was a corroded picture of a seemingly large bird that was on fire…_THE PHOENIX _I thought. Then one of a snowman but with a knife (ooh evil frosty) basically they were all filled with magnificent creatures that I thought were something only imagination would only sculpt form it's magnificent marble of creation, something that would take my breath away. Finally did I find the source of that magnificent glow and I stared at it in awe wondering how this common everyday public high school could hold such beauty.

Where the light illuminated there was an old 3ft high pedestal and the source of the glaring bright blued light was a book. An old, ancient book with that exact appearance, a brown 2in thick book with an old, withered, peeling of parchment, cover and a very corroded…(_GOLDEN?)_ spine. I gently and soundlessly walk towards it and gingerly take hold of the antiqued book. My hands, by themselves seem to do what I wanted to do but couldn't cause of my mind gazing upon such magnificence, and open the book with the utmost care. Then a huge flash comes out as if the source of light it held had finally been freed of its imprisonment. I fall and trip back while dropping the book and watch as it floats, opened on its first page and it almost seems to sense my soul and a huge burst of fire comes out of it arranging themselves in such a pattern and once it stops with its movement I see an unbelievable sight.

In front of me…floating midair was lines of fire in a formation I instantly (_for some reason_ _understood and knew_) that the lines formed a FLAME SYMBOL as if to announce that I am a…a...

_**PYROMANCER**_

On the bottom of the symbol was some other langue I (unknowingly) but instantly knew:

_**Venificus lunctum, En Magus Nos Fides!**_

_**OR**_

_**Wizard Unite, In Magic We Trust!**_

Next thing I know a huge crackle of lightning came down on me and I'm on my back seeing an old man in pajamas.


	2. Chapter 2

_**(HERE'S CH. 2 :D)**_

Chapter 2:

"Ah ha! The spell is working. Look Gamma! A new wonderer has arrived to the spiral." Said the man in pajamas, actually old man, …very, very old man. I mean ancient, I mea- you know what, the point is he iS OLD!

He basically only wore a pair of blue pajama looking clothes, with a stared design and a hat with the same look, along with a monocle. Not only that he had a seriously long cane that spiraled upward so that it could firmly gasp the magnificent clear blue ocean colored orb. I saw around the room I've been teleported in and it was certainly an odd decorum for what I just went through. An obviously timely sort of room with oak colored wooden boards along at the top an amazingly striped boarder with the same authentic design as the old man's clothes. The room seemed to only be lit with the tiny fixtures of wax candles, which obviously showed deterioration of the elegant body which the candles held once. Including that the whole room was flooded with 100s of old textbooks, and paper, which showed plain signs of its being here was numerous as it now had yellowed stained crisp edges that was bathed within a millennia's worth of dust.

"Where does he come from?" Said someone with a rather high pitch of voices. As I turn to find the owner of the vocal I turn and see only an owl with a hat like graduates wear and a little scarf across his neck. Then the owl looks at me as I have been gazing upon the creature without my own notice and the owl's beak begin to vibrate almost and I notice that the same voice I heard sourced from the white bird itself. As the genius I am, I do something only those with quick and cunning wits would do…

I get off the floor run and scream as I slipped on a piece of parchment thus landing on the floor face first with an embarrassing '_**THUMP'**_.

"Ow my head, my face, my dignity." I say with the feeling as a newcomer who as acted outside the normality limits of the regular group. "Hmph not very bright is the young fellow?" Says the owl. "Gamma we must treat newcomers with respect. He may be one the legendary wizards of this generation." Says the old man. " 'Sigh' Headmaster Ambrose, you may be correct about the boy's possible talents" Said Gamma.

"Now umm uh what is your name young man?" Asked the Headmaster.

"Uhhhh… what? My? My name?" I ask

"Yes." Confirmed Ambrose.

"Duncan Quartez.

"Interesting? Your last name gives me the possible idea that you do not live within the spiral?" questioned the senior.

"The…the spiral? Where is that, in China?" I ask.

"Ah so he indeed he is from a far off world that exists outside of Wizard city!" exclaimed Gamma.

"Um I think I'm about to faint again so before I do, mind telling me where the heck I am?" I eagerly question. "Hmph' said Gamma 'well isn't it obvious? You are in Wizard city! The home of the center of the vast, elegant and powerful spiral!" exclaimed Gamma, clearly proud of its title. "Well to put things in a much clearer light,' intruded the Headmaster 'You are in a whole other planet…eh sort-of-speak. At it least it WAS a whole. Before the great war of elements, between the Dragons, the Titans, and the Ice Vikings. You were chosen to be the Spiral's savoir, so now you have been granted the ability to call upon the creatures of magic to do your bidding!" He exclaimed.

"WHAT! Ok you guys seem nice and all but I must've inhailed some weird gases at that garden since I started seeing those-"

"Creatures? Oh no. They were not of fiction, but of what you saw… was the truth, that there are such glorious beasts. So please as my old heart cannot take the wait much longer. What was the symbol of which you saw?" He asked.

"The wha-"

"I believe you know what I'm talking about." He smiled, as if this weren't the first of this strange occurrence.

"Fire… I … saw the symbol of … fire." I inform him. He did not look surprise, as if he expected me to be of a pyromancy group. Then something just crossed my mind. I hadn't been scared, or freaked out of this new life I seemed to have been handed. As if some part of me felt this was 100% accurate, just … right, like I finally found my calling.

"Now then please tell me of where you reside and what is the new last name you wish to be called, since you are not of the spiral, _**HE**_ would soon find out of your origins as he has studied the cosmos, and with his power great, he may be a threat to your home." Said Ambrose in a grave tone at the end.

"Um, well I come from Grand Prarie, Texas. I live in a one story home with 2 dogs. Mom, dad, and one younger brother. Does that help?"

_long silent pause_

"Oh, hmph guess not. Haha' I forced a laugh to possibly drain the awkward silence. 'Well the second part was a new last name right? Right. Ok um." Well I've always been a fan of Marvel's _Ghost Rider. _So I finally found out a name.

"SKULLRIDER." Just in case the Copy Right still took effect in another world, eh didn't want to take a chance. "Duncan Skullrider. That will be my new name." I said in what seemed to be the utmost confidence I've ever been able to muster.

"Well, interesting choice. Now come with me I must do something at Golem Tower very quickly, some paperwork for your registry." Then he picked up his staff about 5 in off the wooded flooring, then slammed it to the ground and a very violent wave of bright luminous light came all around me and the feeling I had before reaching the bizarre world came to me again, only lightened in pain this time and I open my eyes to see a huge tower ahead of me in a circular area of what seemed to be a cul-de-sac almost. Then, without a hence of knowledge, the vast sky started to dull in color. Turning from its richly shading of a fine aqua blue to a deadly array of grey colors. almost as if the whole earth _(or spiral)_ was showing its fear to something…or_ someone._

" Oh no. He is here. But Why now?' Said the headmaster ad after a brief pause of thinking, then the worried old man finally said ' Of course! There is no other reason. Gamma, go and tell Bartleby of this." Then Gamma the owl flew of and vanished under the sea of dreaded clouds. "Come young wizard, we must confront _HIM_. So once we enter a huge flash of dark energy fills the circular room and I see '_**HIM'**_.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: ROOKIE**

It was then that I finally saw what troubled the courageous Ambrose. A man, not just any man, but one who radiated evil itself, he basically seemed what evils child would grow up to be. He was tall, slender, and deathly pale, HUH, something about that seemed right…something about him and death seemed to mix, like death was a puppet, and he was the puppeteer. He wore a long black robe with 2 blue dragon figures around it, with scarf like object acting as a belt. And his eyes… they were hauntingly black with skull colored irises, and a staff that was as tall as he, head to toe with a sharp pointed edge at the bottom and at top, spiraling around it was a golden figure of a dragon which seemed to greedily grasp a blooded color orb which seemed to dig through your soul and pick out you worse fear.

The man looked at our general direction and spoke as if he and Ambrose were lifelong friends having a simple chat over their weekend plans.

"Ambrose! What a fine time to meet up. You look extravagant today! Hmm you always were the looker Hehehe." Then he cuts his attention from him to me as if just noticing me. "Ahhh Ambrose. What do we have here? A new friend? "

"No Malistare, he's not just a new friend but YOUR soon to be greatest enemy!" Replied Ambrose. So Malistare was the title of this fiend.

"Well I believe it is time I properly introduce myself to the lad. I am Malistare Drake. Teacher or Professor. if you may, of the DEATH ARTS." He said in a harsh tone.

"_**FOMER PROFESSOR**_ may I remind you!" said the wizard.

"Hmmph must you be so rude? Very well I suppose I shall show you new 'student' the same respect you have me. _DRACONIANS COME AND ASSIST!" _he yelled to the air. Then as if the thin air, too feared his wrath and formed 2 new beings and they were awful looking. Both were dragon like creatures with the form of human, both in green robes. "_YES MASTER?"_ they both asked. "Go and destroy this whelp." He commanded. _"YES MATER_." Is all they said in a reply.

" Um what now?" I asked, fear intruding itself upon my voice. Then the mentor looked at me and held out his right hand and on his hand he held a small wooden box, the size of the palm, then he threw it at me. Once I caught it I opened to see what the contents of the tiny container held, and within it was…a deck… of… playing cards? "What… what is this for? Am I playing 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' with them or what?" I ask astonished to see that he threw me a useless set of items. "Go and battle with the DRACONIANS and defeat them." Ambrose Ordered. "What?! How? With the cards?" I ask. "Yes. Go towards them and the battlefield will open!" said Ambrose.

So after hearing the mentor I hesitate and walk slowly as if the room was filled with tar, my legs slowly dragging towards the 2 creatures who might claim my defeat. Once I'm at least 5 feet within their range, the weirdest thing happens, my feet automatically runs towards the opposite side of the pair of the Draconian. Underneath my feet I stand on top of an odd circular battlefield that seem to have just formed its way underneath them, filled with strange markings covered in what seems to be foreign language. And in the center of it all, a swirling vortex with a triangle on top and at the top of that triangle is a circular pointer and it was pointing towards… ME?

"Use the cards!" advised Ambrose.

I gasp just remembering the odd treasure and open it revealing its contents again and take out 7 cards exactly as if I've already known the rules, then my hands go in auto pilot mode I study the cards with the utmost attention looking at each one almost automatically knowing how to do this. In my hands were these cards:

**FIRE CAT, ICE BEETLE, THINDERSNAKE, SCARAB, IMP, BLOODBAT, and DARK SPRITE.** Each costing 1 pip…Wait! How did I know that? But that didn't matter right now cause now I had to cast one and looking at all of them and thinking with these Draconian I had to defeat them and I chose the one that felt very fitting for me. I take one of the cards I held from my left hand and took with the right holding it upon my face and tossed my card towards the first one and what happened was amazing.

The card lit and turned to ash and upon the ash a form was conjured to life and out came a feline creature that seemed to come from the sky and then BOOM, immolated itself but didn't even flinch upon the igniting of its own body. Then gazed at my target of choice and ran towards the creature and blew up…more or less, and the draconian hissed from being hit and near the draconian was a mist form of 2 globes, one bigger than the other, also differing in color as the bigger one was red and the smaller, blue. As I saw that the red globe's liquid dropped and a number appeared showing: _435/500._ Then the triangular form change direction, thus indicating my turn to be done with.

Then the draconian I hit was tossing out the small parchment towards me and out came a small grass field covering the battlefield and on top of that a real breathing_ MINOTAUR! _Oh my glob. This is going to hurt. Then he thrust his mighty double bladed axe upon my small structure and the pain… "AHH! What… was… that?" I ask Ambrose. But then the beast struck again, this time with just a gust of wind hitting me when he sliced the air. "Ow. Again?' I say weakly, kneeling with my head down from pain and embarrassment from getting owned by an overgrown lizard. "Some monsters have the ability to attack twice in a single turn." Ambrose Informed.

"Oh, NOW YOU TELL ME! WELL THANK YOU CAPTAIN OBVIUOS!" I yell, then feeling a little harsh for saying it but my regret turns to a headache after the headmaster stares at me puzzled. "Captain obvious? There is no captain here or anyone named obvious just pat attention to the fight!"

"NO that's not what I mea-" but I was cut short after the next draconian casts his spell at me. A shark, but one that seemed charged with energy, and I mean that literally as the floor turns to ocean and the shark jumps form one spot to the other then almost as if gulping me comes toward me with mouth wide open appearing extremely hungry for any prey it can reach and I was that prey.

My health gauge decreased drastically: _235/465, _wait why didn't I get as much health? You know what a question for another time. So it was again, my turn.

"Um headmaster, dude? Got any ideas? Cause I'm about to get creamed here."

"Well I'm not some 'dude' ." said the headmaster, clearly annoyed.

"_Ok **SIR** CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME HOW I CAN TRY TO AT LEAST SEE MY NEXT BIRTHDAY SIR!"_ I argue.

"Very well, here's 2 more spell and 3 more pips. Use the **DRAGONBLADE** first." He advised.

"Hmph, you think your so called student can stand even a single chance of defeating my draconian? HA, you always were too optimistic Merle. I always did distaste that about you." smirked Malistare.

"HA this one learns fast Malistare." Countered Ambrose. So I cast the **DRAGONBLADE **on myself by simply tossing it upwards and a circular disk levitated around my head and etched within was a picture of what seemed like a blade. Then of course here comes the draconian's turn and this time I was in awe as I gazed upon there next spell. Which was a humongous, fat frog that looked like it wanted to vomit upon someone or something… and I got the feeling it was I to be used as the receptacle for it 'let loose'. The pain felt like what acid must've felt like upon someone's bare skin thus making my health gauge decrease yet again to: _155/465._

"My turn!" cried the second lizard. His was a bit odder. 3 bats emerged from a small vortex above and altogether they all seemed to concentrate their power to a certain point and aimed at me hitting me so that all I had left was: _45/465_ health remaining. Then, as I was barely able to make it up to this point, I used the spell Ambrose gave me: **METEOR STRIKE: **which did 425 damage, which still wasn't enough to defeat the creatures. But then my mind, as if kicking my memory back to working order, reminded me of the** DRAGONBLADE **spell and that's when I thought I'd say this:

"_YOU FEELING LUCKY...HUH! WELL DO YA… PUNK?_ "Then I flung the spell card towards any of them and it burnt up sending a huge waves of meteor from nowhere and with each one, after the** DRAGONBLADE** seemed to burst, hit each of them with 600 damage each, more than enough to defeat my once difficult, foes.

"AHHH! You have just dug your own grave you whelp!" taunted the ex-professor.

"So what was that about?" I've noticed that the battlefield had disappeared and the Ambrose looked worried. That he was about to attend some ones funeral and that someone was probably me.

"Well young wizard. I believe it's time you met your professor Ms. Falmea will be thrilled to have a new student. "You know what headmaster it's weird. I haven't even fainted yet."

"Oh my huh, well it seems you are correct! You must be getting use to all of his."

"Yeah I gue- -OH wait never mind." And I fall to blackness yet again.

_**(That's the 3**__**rd**__** chapter. :P) **_


	4. Chapter 4

_**(STORY BEING RE-EDITED SO: **_

_**WORK IN PROGRESS.)**_

**CHAPTER 4**

"Hey… hey…HEY! KID WAKE UP!" I was rudely woken up by someone picking up my head and slamming my face against a wooden board, yes you heard right, a WODDEN BOARD! "Oh sorry dude you alright? I tried to wake you up so I just used the nearest thing from me and I…kind of….thought it was a bucket of water." Said the blue hair stranger apologetically. "Yeah I'm fine I ju-'Then I grab his head and grab the board he used on me and repeat his action on him. "NO I'M NOT OK!" I yell at him. "OW what the heck was that for?" he asks, clearly pained.

"What do you think!"

"Well I was trying to wake you up for hours but, well, I was just tired of waiting for you to reawaken." Replied the hair..blue…guy…hmph I still don't know his name.

"Hey what's your name dude?" I ask. "Hmm? OH um yeah Kevin Wintercloud Mater of Thaumaturgy." He replies.

"Thaumaterge huh? Ice wizard?" I ask.

"Uh yeah I guess being a wizard you kind of already know some of this stuff." Kevin smirked putting one hand behind his head. I look around at my surroundings and see that my current location resides in some form of classroom, as I'm on a small set of stairs. The room is tiny as there are several sets of desks and about 2 stools with each desk and in the back of the room seems to be the teacher's desk with the fire insignia at the front side of the desk. Kevin looked like h really didn't belong, he had well blue hair as I already mentioned, a bit shaggy at that too, and what looked like Viking apparel with a helm with little horns sticking out and in his hand was an axe like figure but it glowed showing it held the power of ice, and to top it his eyes were the color of the Topaz, gleaming with that brilliant hues so I could tell I could always trust and count on him.

Then came a women who was a red head but her extreme style of hair was fashioned to look that of a flame with a blooded color dress, with elfish ears. Then she looks at my direction and asks "Hello . How are you today? How is your first day at Wizard city has been?"

Next came another wizard but in Black and Gray armor which for some reason I knew was Celestian armor and his staff was one with what seemed to be the Grim Reaper on top but like a bust, only his head from shoulders. Under his helm he had black hair just as mine but with grey mystifying eyes which held power from within. "Hey I heard there's a new wiza-" which is where he stopped once seeing me. "Hi! I'm Alex Dragonheart. Pleased to meet you." Said he but also a bit shaken like he was nervous around newcomers. He put out his hand for me and I took it thus he lifted me up and pulled me to help me stand back up.

"Hey what's up." I say as if were good buddies already, which then means at least I already have a friend.

"Hey I'm Duncan Qu-… Skullrider" Whoa that was close, although I think its ok with these guys Ambrose only advised not using that with Malistare around. "So you guys are wizards too huh?"

"Yeah I'm a ranking of Grandmaster Necromancer!" Gloated Alex, who must've been very proud of the title.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah we get it, your 'all powerful'. But really it does get annoying hearing you brag about yourself." Replied Kevin.

I laugh a light chuckle which caught Alex's attention.  
"Hmm? Hey I'm serious when I said I was powerful you know!" which he protested from my humor. "Hmm? Well I guess it might get annoying sometimes if I always heard someone talk about themselves like that." Gloomed Alex, which I felt bad at first till he said: "But of course… I'M NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL!" he shouts as if daring anyone to protest! (Which was kind of lame since there were only 4 people inside to hear him at all.)

"Oh… um, ok? I guess I'm no match for you then? HEHE." But then something, as if his day wasn't weird enough and wanted to prove it could become any stranger. A huge light erupts around my body and suddenly, as my eyes begin to adjust once again I'm in a different wardrobe. Of course with my apparent wizard instincts telling me, I was in the DRAGOONS ARMOR, along with that I had a book and now I had new spell deck. With my new transformation I already knew I was a Grandmaster Pyromancer.

Falmea gazed upon this just as the others and croaked "H..how... how have you gotten to Grandmaster so quickly."

"Cause the spiral needs the savior now more than ever." answered Ambrose who LITERALLY appeared out of nowhere after that whole exploding dust thing where it tells you he just teleported which I swear means he could've passed gas, but of course I am not proposing of saying that aloud. "Young wizard. You and your friends must journey across the spiral and collect these artifacts: The KROKONOMICON and the key to Dragonspyre. Here is the key to Wizard city and Krokotopia." He handed me 2 keys with odd designs engraved at the end. On had a giant tree that seemed uprooted, and one with a pyramid. "Thank, you? I guess." I say.

"Wait, what! So now we can travel across the spiral. Headmaster we've been training here in Wizard city practically all our lives. Now we get to go to another part of the spiral? Well I'm all up for that." Cheered Alex. So I'm guessing these guys aren't of earth origins.

Next we go through the double doors of the classroom to the outside; as soon as I exit the class I greedily drink in the sight of what seems to be the campus. I make a slight turn to the left and gaze upon 2 identical other schools but differ in color as they seem to represent a different form of magic; the one closest to the fire school was apparently the ice school and farther out the storm schools all with a tree that seemed to have a face. Then seeing the other side of some over sized tree, I see 2 other schools, in yellow and some light blue and a green and brown one also with trees. Turning a hard right I notice a magnificently sized gaping hole.

"What event occurred here?" I ask Kevin confused of the empty mass.

"Oh there? That's where the death school was originally located. Then Malistare basically moved it. Now resides in the night side of this world."

"Why would he do such a thing anyways? Actually a better question would be how did a professor here go rouge?" That must've been personal, seeing Alex on my right turn a little gloomy at that question.

"Well' Kevin starts' you see Malistare was-"

"IS a great professor.' Interrupted Alex ' He pretty much is…or was I guess the kind of teacher you could look up to. He would always get the whole class to lighten up on a gloomy day. He'd always take risks, if it got us motivated, like putting a feather up Bartley's nose to see if a tree could sneeze, sneak to Ambrose's studies and see if we could scare him every Halloween, which he never did, Best of all he always had some meaningful thing to say to us. And what I think got him motivated like hat every day was his wife, Sylvia Drake, former life professor here at Ravenwood."

"Wait, _former_? As in kicked out? Was she evil too or what?"Quickly I regret those words that escaped my lips cause then Alex scowled at me, hatred burning in his eyes, then seemed to remember I was the new guy and lightened his mood a bit.

"No. She…She past away. From some from very fatal illness, HA _(He laughs sarcastically)_, funny… The life teacher to …die like that… without even knowing what it was that was bringing her down. Then Malistare… he, changed. Never talked to the class unless teaching a spell, he got angry at the slightest mistake, slowly growing bitter. Then one day after coming from the library, that's when he made his mark and tore out the entire death school from its place in Ravenwood and fled away from Wizard city." Then Alex looked back at me and quickly got out of his mood.

"But now he's threatening us, I don't know why, but we have to stop him."

"Alright, So first things first we get the kroko…nakimura?"

"No krokonomicon." Kevin corrected.

"Yeah krack-anumeria."

"No KROK-O-NOM-ICON"

"YES I KNOW CRACK-IKAMI-NIBBLE."

"**NO KROKO- OH FORGET IT!" **YELLED KEVIN.

"JEEZ, man you don't have to yell. But why are we after it again?" I ask.

"Because Ambrose told us that Malistare was heading towards that chamber last time but the kroktopian ghosts protecting it barely defeated him, and its rumored he has done something to get it this time." Answered Kevin.

"Ok so we're off to krokotopia. I wonder what he needs with the krokonomicon?"

"KROKONO- oh… wait… you said it right. Hmph well um…ok… good. HEHE oh. Oh shut up and let's get going. See you later Falmea." Announced Kevin. Then it hits me. What about MY teachers, my home, everything else I had left behind, I was only relieved to be away from that overgrown doofus Zac. "Hey how does time work here? Is it different from earth?" then Falmea looked at me and said; "Um I really have no clue. But if you don't take care of Malisatre, he won't be satisfied with just the spiral in his control, do you understand?" then I reply; "Yeah, I get. Take care of Malistare first, then worry for everything else later."

Alright... so, anyone know how to get to another world?" I ask.

_**(OK SO IN CASE YOU DIDN'T NOTICE I'M GONNA KINDA DO MY OWN VERSION OF THE STROYLINE QUEST, I MEAN COME ON WE ALL KINDA KNOW HOW THAT GOES RIGHT? WELL NOT EVERYONE OBVIUSLY BUT YOU GE THE POINT RIGHT? NO? WELL READ IT AGAIN SLOWLY DIS TIME… NOW YOU GET IT?...NO 'BOUT NOW?...NOW? HOW 'BOUT? WELL IF YOU DON'T GET IT AT THIS POINT THEN UM WELL JUST KEEP WAITING FOR THE NEW CHAPTERS KK? WELL GOT TO GO AND DO STUFF LIKE BREATHING. PEACE! ^-^ ) **_


	5. Chapter 5

_**CHAPTER 5**_

We walk towards the ancient tree and as I walk to the front I fully engage at the fact that it was alive, and I mean face with an actual conscience, and possible brain, alive.

"Hello Bartleby!" yelled Alex to the mass of wood.

"Hello Alex! How have you been?" asked the tree.

"Oh, well! And you?" he asks.

"Oh I've been… Ohhh … I can't seem to remember…Ah, well hello Alex!" repeated the overgrown fern. "Um you see Duncan, one of Bartleby's was stolen and the thing is, his eyes are mystical."

Then Kevin came in with; "One eye sees the future, the other the past. And the one missing is the one that sees the past. So now he can vaguely remember anything." Answered the Thaumaturge.

"H..hi…I'm Duncan." I stuttered to Bartleby. "Ahh, yes the new student." Then with a heavy sigh, he seemed to have fallen into slumber.

"Anyone got any ideas on how to get in?" Kevin asked. "Wait, you mean in Bartleby?"

Alex answers the question saying; "Yeah, the world gate is said to be within him." Then we hear something like wood going against wood. At the area in front of us where it had the appearance of Bartleby's mouth it seemed to open and out of the sudden gasp of light appeared a figure…a figure of a girl? Then for some reason I almost suffocated, my heart seemed to beat faster, and I gazed at her like she was…_perfection._

"Boys. How do ya do anything without us?" said the mysterious mistress.

She had a well colored hair of what seemed to be turquoise, she had brilliantly, brown eyes, she had on some vest jacket like object but with a cape that had a brown trimming that had a green filling color with boots and a pointed hat with same color design, which I thought were good considering I had a red and black coloring on my outfit and Kevin with white and blue and of course Alex with black and white(_or is it gray?). _

"OK here's the deal. Only a select few of wizards were chosen to venture across the spiral. I was currently at Mooshu until the headmaster told me otherwise. So don't think I'm doing this from the kindness of my heart, got it underclass men? I'm Elizabeth Heartgem!" she clearly seemed to be someone who goes solo and hated teaming up, but I didn't really care I just knew she'd warm up to me, with a little Quartez charm of course.

"So, names and ranks, NOW!" she demanded.

"KEVIN WINTERCLOUD, RANK; MASTER THAUMATERGE; SIR…UH I MEAN MA'AM SIR…I MEA-"

"YEAH I GET IT, YOU TALL DARK AND SCARY?"

"ALEX DRAGONHEART, GRANDMASTER NECROMANCER SIR… UH I MEA-"

"Yeah I got it. And you nobody?"

"Duncan Skullrider, um Grandmaster, I think?" she looks at me puzzled as if I should know, which normally I think I should've. "What do you mean you _THINK?_" She stares at me with intense eyes and I almost forget to breathe. "Um I-"

"He means' Kevin intervened 'that he just, became a Grandmaster on his first day." Wow, that's true this _IS_ my first day, still, huh shows how much I can get done in a day. "Anyways, he pretty much was just chosen to be instantly a Grand…master, um why do you look irritated?" she was starting to turn red as if my very presence was upsetting her. "You! How did you acquire Celestial armor?" turning to Alex. "I got possession of it by Zeke. He said that this was perfect for me; we became our rank by training in this world every day." She looked at us seeming to exam us wondering if whatever escaped our lips were honest words.

"Alright you dorks just be prepared for tomorrow, We leave at the crack of dawn, get it?" then something occurs to me. "What rank and class are you? May I ask?"

She turns a slight to the left looking at me with harsh eyes. "Legendary theurgist." Then as quickly as she came, she walks past us and heads toward a tower at my right hand side.

"She seems…um…cruel?" stated Kevin.

"I agree on that" replied Alex.

"She…is amazing." I almost whisper, but softly enough to not attract the attention of Kevin and Alex. "What was that?" asks Alex. "What? Oh nothing…nothing." I mummer. We walk towards a tower similar to the one Elizabeth walked in. Kevin goes inside the bricked tower then closes the door followed by Alex and repeats the action of Wintercloud. So I do the same thing and expecting to see he guys I stag in an empty room all alone with just a bed and night stand elegantly placed. Above the bed is a heated color of red banner and a fire emblem sewn onto it. I take off the armor and thankfully that underneath are my regular day clothes. Thinking I have had too much of an extreme day to fall asleep, next moment I see black. I awake to see Kevin and Alex already dressed in same uniform staring at me and saying "You drool."

"AHHHH! Jeez is nothing private?" I grab my armor and quickly dress after the departure of my friends. I grab the new tin box containing my new spells and see that there is a leather backpack near my nightstand (empty). Then leave my room with my stomach roaring in defiance for food before we leave. Kevin hands me a dog bone. "What is this? I am not a dog." I protest. "Relax Wizards eat pet food too." He confirmed. I look at the doggy treat with disliking and take a bite and immediately spit it out. "HAHAHA, I can't believe….you, you fell for that!" Laughs Kevin and up roaring Alex. "Oh yeah laugh it up I'm gonna get you back for this."

"Alright whatever, let's just go to Krok." then turning I slam into Elizabeth and we both fall to our butts. "Watch it. Look before you leap got it." I offer her a hand to help her up but she rejects and gets up by herself. So we walk into the inside of bartleby and I see a giant room dominated with vines. We walk to the elegantly carved door, shuffling inside my pockets I grab the cold key and bring it out and notice the shimmer of light it show as I glare off the shards of light that intrude upon the tree. After a breath taking moment I insert the key inside the wooded shape of a keyhole and firmly twist it and gently grab the warm knob and gingerly I twist it till upon us we hear a satisfying click. I slowly push the elegant door away from us and a blinding light hits us and then quickly dies as I suddenly feel heat hit my body. We all go inside through the doorway and see a bizarre room filled with hieroglyphics. We stood in the valley of the room and saw a doorway of some kind atop the stairs. After walking up and through the hole of the place, what I see makes me feel so disoriented; a grand area of what seems to be an oasis. Looking around I see a man who has a need of a shave as his whole body is covered in hair and the fact he has a misshapen head, then looking closely I see that it is a snout!

"Huh? Oh why hello there lads. I'm afraid Krokotopia has been currently closed." Elizabeth comes and takes over. "Oh were here to take care of the Krokonomicon problem." Well one thing's for sure, she likes to be in charge. "Hmm? Oh are you? My apologies ma'am off you go." I grab her arm swiftly and ask her "Is he really that trusting? We could've lied. "which she then responds. "He's a Marlybonian dog, so he would be able to tell if you are lying." So he_ IS_ a dog. We're led to a huge pyramid and once in a huge hallway leads to an excavation site on one side and a grand room with humungous statues glooming over us."Alright we are here on Wizard city orders to collect the krokonomicon." Stated Elizabeth. Then next moment I'm on the floor with dust everywhere and Kevin hanging off the vast cliff, Alex on his back unconscious, and Elizabeth on her feet, trying to stand up against someone with fire everywhere and hearing a hauntingly familiar voice. "Hello… and good-bye."

_**(MAN I'VE G0T SOMETHING GOOD PLANNED FOR THIS STORY, JUST WAIT AND FIND OUT ^-^)**_


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

"Mal…Malistare? What…what are you doing here?" blood falls of from my lips, I see a horrible cut on my right hand gashing out precious liquid, reaching down to my backpack I instinctively know somehow that I have a staff; a long 5 foot, pure red, metallic staff topped with a dragon like object, almost like Malistare's staff.

"What have we here? A couple of insignificant fools who thought they could keep me from my goal? Wait, you, I remember you! You are the one who defeated my draconian." I am then shocked my stupidity, Kevin, he's going to fall if I don't help him. I slowly drag my weakened body towards him, pressured by the fact that Malistare can do away with me if he realized my mission, or he would just do it anyway. No, I thought, no I will not let it end this way! I…will…save…KEVIN.

"Du…Duncan? Umm please help me." I take my hand out for him and as he grabs it I say.

"Maybe… let me think about, hehehe." Then he replies; "Not funny, dude." I grab his left and with my own and, with little strength I had left, I pull him towards me and we both fall on our backs, huffing and puffing by the near death experience.

'Well you two seem to be a little worn out from a little blast like that. I guess my concern for you tw-"which he was cut off by almost BEING cut by Elizabeth's samurai sword. "Stand still Malistare, I need to take out my anger and you're the perfect punching bag." Really? Is she really insulting the guy who just took 3 guys down with one shot? She thrust forward, sword tipped toward his chest and all Malistare does is put his staff in the way, like a shield, and he seemed to be taking the expression _'with one hand behind my back' _literal cause he really **WAS** doing that, putting one hand behind his back, looking bored as if a teenage girl with a deadly blade coming toward him was nothing to be afraid of.

"Don't be stupid! He'll kill you!" I furiously shouted at the anger driven warrior.

She ooks at me with a glance and reveals:"I won't let him get away with this! Because ... because..._**He killed my best friend**_! You get it now _HERO_?!" stunned… that's how I felt, finally undersanding why she rejected help, or the want to become partners…she lost someone. "Look Elizabeth," I'm getting up on my feet but very shakily, feeling like I'm going to fall again, using my staff as a cane." I may not get what you're going through but he's too strong!"

"Listen to the boy. 'Interrupts the proffesor' He is saying things that will save your life." She slowly weakens her grip on the hilt of her sword and lets it be a victim to gravity, thus looking at me, dropping to her knees, eyes closed, crying her hands forming a fist in the hallway of the pyramid. Then Malistare stops and just gaze at us, putting his staff a couple inches off the ground and slams it toward the flooring and in a flash of black light…he's gone. I limp toward Alex and check for a pulse after knowing he can still walk this earth (Or spiral?) I slowly limp towards Elizabeth and holding my tongue for I knew no amount of words could heal a wound like that. She slowly gets and vacates the battle ground.

"Let's go outside and go to the library. We could ask the librarian for help on our quest." Suggests Alex.

"Bro, you coming?" asked Kevin.

"Yeah, just hurts to move my legs."

_**3 DAYS LATER**_

"RRROOOOAAAARRRR!" I saw it with my own eyes, Stormzilla, summoned by a very high rank Krok guard. Oh no, it's aimed at me, after stomping twice it leans down then with a mighty shout I lose 600 health points which leaves me with 1789/2985. Here comes the triangle and now…it's my turn.., looking at my newly formed deck I know what to choose; Meteor strike, which is now MY property. I put the spell in a little container on my staff and aim it towards the Kroks. A fire insignia lights up in front of me and out comes 3 strikes of meteorites then one hits the 1st krok for 300 which is all they had left and after the hit he drops his cane and roars as he crumbles to sand which was then repeated with the 2nd Krok.

"Alright done now Duncan?" asks Alex from afar. I run towards the guys on the sidewalk of the blue flame lit cave filled with hieroglyphs. "Aright let's go sorry guys but it's not my fault I was sucked in to that battle. Now for our quest; we have to fight some Minotaur guy at the center of the Sphinx." We then quickly leave towards the front entrance of the Krokosphinx, light up some braziers and out appear our opponents, 2 Kroks and 1 Minotaur. All 4 of us venture to the battle field and prepare for the first round with us first. I summon Fire blade, Kevin; Ice blade, Alex; Deathtrap on the Minotaur, & Elizabeth; Life blade. Minotaur uses Myth blade on himself and the Kroks use Death blades on their boss. So now we each have 3 pips by next round, so what do we do? We all wait.

The boss decides not to wait any longer by the 2nd round and decides to use a Troll spell on Alex which doesn't do much as both Kroks use Banshee on Kevin (It's like they share a brain). Now we have 4 pips and as I pass Kevin decide to attack with his Ice Wyvern spell on the 2nd Krok which actually ends up defeating him with Kevin's amazing upgrades on his spells. Then Alex uses a minor death blast on a Krok and Elizabeth passes in case we need healing (which we all secretly doubted we would need). Now came up was the Minotaur boss and with only a power pip in his favor he uses a Myth trap n me, and his minion uses death blade on himself. Power pip was finally gained to me and again I passed for I now equaled 6 pips and kevin;1, Alex;5, Elizabeth;5 as well. Kevin summons another ice blade, Alex a death blade, and now Elizabeth uses an offensive spell; a giant tree? Which sprung up from the ground after her casting it and it seemed to be growing limbs and a face? It grabbed a nearby boulder and threw it at the Krok which then he dropped his cane and shouted as he dissolved into sand.

The Minotaur seemed confused by noticing his fallen allies for the 1st time, which then it became his turn for casting; he used another Troll but this time on Elizabeth. This became my casting time once again and with it I used the spell was so ready to use, which I named 'TACO'! Putting the delicate, palm sized parchment in my staff I pointed towards the beast and summoned him… A giant fire breathing reptile known as the 'LEGENDARY FIRE DRAGON'! Where the battle ground was, it was replaced by a steaming ground of molten lava and landing on top of it was Taco, who then shouted hi mighty roar in the air and looked straight at the Minotaur, then blew a heat wave of blistering hot, toxic fire at the beast and combined with my fire blade, the power only increased, so he was taken out in 1 shot, leading him to knell and lay on his back, quickly sinking underneath the cold hard floor. But my joy of winning is dulled after a slight glance at Elizabeth, one hand across her chest grasping the elbow opposite of the active hand. Head bowed only to look at the motionless floor, as if something were to come out and get her.

"Elizabeth, are you ok? Look I know you hate to talk about personal things but I'm worried about yo-,' o great I hope I wasn't blushing,' I mean that you might end up slowing us down…,' then she goes from depressed little defenseless girl to armored, angry, lethal man hunter (_gulp_). "Look Skullrider! I can handle myself so you don't have to worry about what I am going through, so if anyone is slowing us down it's you flame boy! With all your useless, time consuming questions!" then like thunder she stormed off towards the exit of the sphinx.

"Wow that was a crash and burn, flip, trip and explode!" intervened our 'joyous' Kevin. Well I know I just screwed up. "Relax Duncan, at least you've got your looks… oh wait, never mind." Joked Alex as we walked to the boat then towards the library to turn in our quest which was to deliver it to zan'ne . Finally we had something going on for us, with the few residents of Krok brave enough to walk about, it till felt very remote and lonely as we were only able to hear the soft wind rush about.

Alex came rushing out of the library towards us on the oasis mainland "Aright next thing is to conquer the Well of spirits." But I still couldn't help but notice miss depression walking at a turtle's speed, I momentarily thought to slow down and ask her how she was doing, but I thought she wouldn't like my pity.

We trudge to the pit of quicksand after activating the pillars a giant headdress of some lizard come out and within its mouth appears some type of portal. After going through the shortcut of space we venture towards the ancient looking stone house. Then here comes Alex leading the way to Krokopatra "Alright gang, follow the leader." Then he goes walking ahead of us, chest puffed out as if he were the almighty one. "Hold on Alex,' intervenes Kevin' everyone knows I'm the leader." Wait? What, I'm the leader, right? "Ok guy no need to pretend you don't know I'm really the leader."" Alex stares at me like I'm a child asking if the sun was a light bulb in the sky.

"O yeah sure, come on Duncan you know it's me."

"No I am the leader, got it?"

"Please,' comes in Kevin" you guys couldn't lead anyone out of a pool much less a quest." Which ends up in our "fight" will you call it? I tackle Kevin to the floor and Alex comes and dog piles on us where I try to claim victory but after maybe an 5 minutes of this Elizabeth grabs Alex by the shoulder and we all stop mid-fight, which made the whole room go silent and after a second or so she grabs Alex above her head and throws him at the floor with the strength of, forget 10, I'm talking 100 men and body slams him which she repeats the onslaught with me and Kevin shouting " YOU IDIOTS DON'T KNOW HOW TO HAVE A NICE CHAT! YOU SHOULD TALK OUT YOUR PROBLEMS!" and after a minute or so we all stare at each other, mainly in fright as we stared at Elizabeth, and do the natural thing… Laugh, mainly at each other from all our frustration we've been so uptight lately about our quest we basically forgot how it was to just relax and be well, kids I guess.

"Hahaha…well I guess we shouldn't worry so much about dangers anymore. As long as were together, we can get through anything." I get up on my feet and walk towards the well, thinking; as long as were together…


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

"_Well I guess this guy isn't as weak as I thought" I grumble. "This Duncan guy, he can't be for real? I mean come on what is he going to do to thwart my plans? He is simply another bug on my windshield to success. So now I have to figure out how I am going to do this? My plan involves quick and cunning reflexes. Once he is defeated I'll have a very small moment to do it." I hear something coming towards me; I hide and see it's just a bunch of wizards hanging out in the benches near a tent at Cyclops lane. I look around to all the monsters that roam and almost seem to conquer the area. This puts a warm smile to my heart seeing people unable to defend themselves, barely able to stop the overrun of the creatures. I am able to see all of this in an image produced by my staff. 'Fools' I think, very excited for the day my plan will have its moment of truth. That and only that moment will I be able to win over the stupid losers of this Spiral. _

_I am the Master of Death! I'm sick of these goody two-shoes people. When will I be able to execute the plan, strategy if you will? Just then a ghoul breaks from the soil and landing on his feet he looks a t me and moans, then say; "Master, we are nearly complete with the spell so once you execute your plan, your castle will be ready for a conjure." I look at the withered body and reply; "Good now depart for I am very ill-patient at the moment." With that he jumps and summersaults about 15 feet in the air and buries himself in the soil on impact. Before I go to slumber I try to think of happy thoughts before going to bed; Duncan knelling before me as I hold my long, 3 foot long, black teethed blade…through his chest. _

_Sweet dreams._


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

"AAHHHHH! Elizabeth we could really use a healing spell about now." I'm groaning because I was just defeated by One of Krokopatra's high ranking servants. I see Kevin and Alex in the same position I'm in; kneeling upon one leg and heads bowed breathing heavily with Alex clenching his staff as Kevin was holding on to his axe wand. Luckily it is now Elizabeth's position for casting. She puts a spell in her sword (Don't ask me how that substitutes for a wand) and summons a, well… Bartleby and what he does is a bit odd, he lifts Elizabeth like some exorcism and it seems to have healed her which then he repeats the steps with us, thus giving each of us a shield at the end of the round.

Here comes Alex "Don't worry guys, I've got it." So what he does is almost creepy. A Scarecrow, A scarecrow is what he summons and it looks at the first guard and seemed to have been absorbing his life and gives some back to his owner then repeats his move with each guard. Once Kevin was up I knew it was over for the guards, he summons a blizzard and after each blow, since their health was already so low, each one (after the shout to disintegration act) lost showing that we won.

"Thanks Elizabeth we would've been toast, and for that I'm giving you an honorary nickname like Healy, or, or, oh, how about green?" she looks at me like as if she were wondering if I was serious. "Really? Green?"

"How about LIFESAVER? Get it? Cause yo-"

"Yeah, I get it, but call me that and I will personally send you to the after life myself. Get it?"

"Fine, fine, fine I get it…So where to next Lifesaver. HAHA"

"OHHH SKULLRIDER COME HERE!" she actually thinks she can catch me in the purple lilted maze leading to Krokopatra. I 'm able to maneuver through the labyrinth without getting us caught. I'm feeling so free like I've lost her but then she comes from the left of the intersection we ended up at and, well end up slamming to each with her body on top of mine. We both pant heavily from the game of speed and as her soft turquoise hair falls down to the floor… and for a moment we both stop laughing as her perfect brown eyes stare to my uncommon red, so my inner genius kicks in and I brilliantly say; "Ummmm… you… use conditioner?" Hmph well there goes another intruder passing through my lips and into open ears. "Sorry let me just…" so as we get off Alex goes and blurts; "Well don't let me intrude!"

"Whatever Alex. Look let's just hurr-" _**BOOM!**_

"AAHHH! WIZARDS, WHAT ARE WIZARRDS DOING HERE! WELL IF YOU WANT SOMETHING DONE RIGHT YOU SHOULD DO IT YOURSELF." It was her…Krokopatra, jeez and was she uuuugggllllyyy.

"Alright Kroko-ugly! Get ready for the worst battle in your life!" I try to intimidate her but my voice cracked in between the threat. Then what she says completely surprises me (And that's saying something from the past week and a half).

"Why would I waste my time with a normal battle with you fools I'll just kill you with a new technique that you wizards are not familar with" This is just where things went south. She raises here scepter and on top forms some purple aura of energy which became a circular shape similar of a CD then she seems to be making some impression of a batter then swings the thing towards me and that's where my instincts took over and told me to move. 1 second longer and I would've lost my arm because the thing made a horrible deep gash through my armor and I was bleeding like crazy now. I kneeled trying to ignore the pain, unable to scream.

"Duncan!" all of them almost shouted in unison. Alex comes rushing towards me, "No get back or she'll-"_ZOOM_ Alex takes a scratch on his chest and now filling his armor to the color of red. "AHHH" he shouts then drops to his knees clutching at his chest. "Get ready for this "says the scratchy voice of the Krokress. Raising her scepter the whole roof glows purple and forms a whole area of stalactites, then all fall down in a shower of spikes scraping all of us only to be saved by Kevin's quick thinking to form an ice shield.

"You pathetic fools, why do you still attempt to win, all you are doing is delaying the inevitable. "She taunts, there's no way I'm losing to this life size purse. I decide to run towards her, breaking though Kevin's shield and tackling the reptile sliding about 5 feet from where she fell. I try to run towards her but she was faster than what I thought and ends up running to ME and slices a cut to my arm. I'm bleeding like a fountain, trying to gain consciousness but part of her raining spears spell fell towards me getting a cut on me on my right leg so it looked like a red line throughout my whole right leg. I'm feeling the loss of tremendous blood. Then I remember TACO! I skim through my deck and find the spell and try to put it on my staff but Miss. Scales wasn't going to take any chances in waiting on me and summons a huge bolt of electricity towards me and the impact was just brutal. I'm thrown about 10 feet from the battle and hit the wall with such force that I create a crack on the wall and fall down hard on the unforgiving the surface. So this is how I'm going to die? Huh I figured I die of some heroic death.

Krokopatra quickly crawls toward me on all 4s like an actual crocodile and grabs me by the neck and forces me to stare at those hideous eyes;" Fool do you think you were a worthy opponent for me, much less Malistare? Well I guess you wizards are capable of noth-"

"Hey it's called a distraction!" then we both hear a blood chilling; "RROOOAAARR!"

An Ice Giant, I gave enough time to Kevin to create him and now he was swinging his hammer towards the villainess and with the final swing he swung at the reptile villain and she disintegrates to sand about 5 inches from me.

Wow… another… victory, then I fall down and see, well nothing.

I slowly gain consciousness to see a dog in front of me (Marlybonian, so I was sort of use to it by now since some were in Krok) and put a sponge over my forehead. I'm lying down in a small dark room lit only by a candle. I see a portrait on every wall, each like a normal portrait but instead of a human I's a dog. The door opens at the right side of me and I see Alex coming in, his armor repaired and when I tried to get up off the warm bed I … I couldn't feel my legs." Alex, wh…why can't I move my legs?" he look at me and seems depressed and sighs;" We couldn't get you medical attention soon enough, your legs… are paralyzed, for life. I'm sorry."

WHAT! No, no that can't be true, it just can't. I get up and grab Alex by the shoulders "I can't be paralyzed… I just ca-,' look down and suddenly feel so stupid. "HAHAHA Dude, come on, you really think that a few cuts and bruises will paralyze your legs? Nah man it's just the meds wearin' off."

"You have the cruelest sense of humor. Man, am I glad you're not my enemy, what you would laugh at then, the decapitation of them?"

"Probably." Then he turns and walks, apparently I'm on the second floor or so, downstairs. "Don't worry; you'll be better in no time." I turn to see the person (or dog) that helped me out and she was wearing clothes that looked a bit like an olden London style. She walks past me as I decide to follow her down just noticing I'm in my original clothing; a red shirt with jeans and my mechanical pencil still in my pocket with the hook sticking out, and cuts almost invisible.

Once down I'm greeted with a giant brown dog (I don't know every dog's breed, so sue me) wearing a green jacket with white lines squaring in a pattern with an odd looking hat like the kind of detectives wear in those old black and white movies, which was also green with a pipe in his mouth. In his hand was an oversized magnifying glass, the room was tiny but only because it was filled with parchments of WANTED posters and police reports.

"Um…. hello. Nice, uh… place you got here?" He looks at me and seems to be inspecting me then must've comes to a conclusion and replies; "  
I am Sherlock Holmes, You are a..14, 15, 16 maybe, year old, Pyromancer, but you don't seem to have been here long, and your name is Duncan Skullrider. "I'm just shocked at that statement. How could he have known all that at a glance?

Kevin passes by me with a tray of cookies;" Hey Duncan, don't worry we've already told Sherlock about you."

Mr. Bones looks at me and flatly says;" I never said I got all that by "looking" at you." Ok well after that moment I look for my armor and can't seem to find it in the living room when suddenly Elizabeth comes in through the front door and announces some grave news to me. "The Krokonimijger wasn't in Krok, right before Krokopatra disintegrated she told us it was shipped to Marlybone, which is where we're at."

"**KROKONONMICON**!" announces the "oh so wonderful" Mr. Wintercloud.

"So we started this new quest by asking the post office people about what they have been shipping lately. They said they've noticed nothing out of the ordinary, and that they can't see what inside the containers, it's a rule."

After that we all that we decide we would need some rest, Mr. Bones allowed us to stay the night, so we all went to our own separate room for the night.

Well of course my life is anything but relaxing, because that's when the assassin came.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

I'm in my bed struggling to fall asleep, thinking about my day, feeling the only thing I've done so far is get knocked out and put unconscious as my friends came to save me yet again. Normally my body would've rebelled at the fact that I was in a comforting bed and would've forced me to fall back asleep, but then I hear a creak on the roof and suddenly my body revived itself to stand up. I grab my staff and ready myself for anything. '**CRASH' **then all of a sudden a large blade figure comes crashing through the window and draws a long 4 Foot. blade, steely cold and ready for its mission. The apparent assassin came toward me with blinding speed and nearly cuts my head off. I dodge quick enough to look at the murderer and see that it's a human figure, but completely covered in black clothing, boots, robe, and mask, but there was a squared off area so you could only see his eyes, like a ninja.

Kevin comes in and yells; "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" the ninja raises his sword and seems to look down on me then slashes the air 2 inches from me. Then he decides to aim for Kevin, he pushes me aside and aims towards Kevin with his sword pointed towards his chest. Then here comes Alex from the shadows and tackles Kevin out of the way and ends up getting a huge gash on his back. "Alex!" we yell, and then the ninja looks at me and puts a finger towards his neck and mimics a slice throat, which apparently meant _I_ was the target. "Alright, you wanna play that way? Well here I am, come on!" I run towards him, dropping my staff and thankful that he was in shock as he didn't think to defend himself. We end up rolling down the stairs until we hit the cold living room floor, awaking Mr. Bones. The man in black gets up and quickly searches for his blade only to find it next to Kevin. "Oh, you want your stick? Well you're gonna have to go through me." So then he does something, well ninja-y? He throws a little ball on the floor and suddenly the whole room is filled in the blinding smoke.

"Well… um who's up for breakfast?" we all stare at Alex who ends up fainting on the scene.

**_(NEXT DAY)_**

"NOOO, I'll never give you the medicine!" I'm holding down a large rat (ok remember I'm in Marleybone so really I'm holding down a little man in fancy clothes, just in the form of a white mouse [or rat]).

"Ok, look,' I grab him by his little rat feet and since we're on top of a roof surrounded by buildings, I look for a gap between the buildings and see one where then I walk over and continue with" my hand is getting tired dude, either tell us or…OH, OH no I…I think my fingers are growing weary. You might want to tell us where the medicine is or, well you get the point." he seems to be thinking whether or not to tell me still, like wondering if his boss's punishment would be worse.

"OK, Ok, I'll tell you! If you go straight this way then make a left, you should see an entrance to an old abandoned warehouse. They need a password and the password is… come closer, I can't say it aloud. "I hesitate but give in to his request and put him closer to me. Once he saw I was close enough he bit my hand and ran off. But then Elizabeth decides to summon a walking tree again (Natures wrath) and once it sprouted it immediately grabbed a boulder and tossed it towards the rat, squishing him. Go figure. "Wow, a bit unnecessary, don't you think?" I glance and see that there seems to a shadow covering her eyes. "I've already lost one friend because of Malistare, I'm not losing another."

We ran towards the warehouse and found ourselves in an empty lot with nothing to hear but the cold rustling of the wind." That rat, he must've lied, UUGGGHH, WE'RE JUST WASTING TIME, SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE MUCH OF!" I ignored her and looked around, maybe, there's some kind of hint to the password. An organization like this wouldn't use the same password every day; they have to have some kind of hint leading you towards the daily password. I saw a piece of paper hanging on a miniature water tower and grasped it as I turned to see its contents. On it, it said;

_**We**_

_**Enemies**_

_**Are **_

_**People, **_

_**Only**_

_**Normal?**_

What? What is that supposed to mean? I…I can't understand is it… OH, OF COURSE! **W**e **E**nemies **A**re **P**eople, **O**nly **N**ormal? Running towards the door I feel anticipation, fear, and determination. I AM going to get this medicine for Alex. I can't let this be the end for him because of a stupid move to save me. I can't.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK. An intimidating voice slips through the door and asks, Password?" I stand up straight and not even bother disguising my voice and reply,

"WEAPON." two seconds pass by and we hear the rattling of locks being undone, I prepare myself to invade the lair and get the necessities. Once inside I was a bit shocked and relieved. It was a giant, empty, filthy room. Then from the ceiling came a …rat, I think? Wearing a brown cloak with a dagger at his side, he had brown fur to match the cloak.

"What are ya' doing here? Wizards aren't allowed here cause… I made that um rule so you… uh can't enter cause you's wizards, ya-ya see?" apparently this guy isn't the brains of the group.

"We're here for a special kind of medicine that your group stole a while back. Give it to us or you'll be sorry. Trust me, I am not in a negotiating mood." I don't know why I'm acting like this, maybe knowing that with the slightest delay, Alex would die. He looks at me with an attempted glare, which ends up making him look like he had some face distortion. I put one hand on my hip and look at my nails with the other trying hand and eyes closed, to look all cool and calm. "Really I'm going to get that medicine either way. Why not help yourself and just hand it over?" then Elizabeth comes from the shadows and looks at the bandit with harsh eyes "Look, rat, I am going to count to 5 and you better hand it over, 1…2…**5!" **

"Hold on! Did you just call me a rat? I AM A DOG! WHY DO PEOPLE ALWAYS ASSUME I'M A RAT AT FIRST?"

Wow, well whatever, the next thing I know he's whistling and a bunch of similar looking bandits surrounds us.

Oh crap.


	10. Chapter 10

_**(wazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzup peoples, hehehe, bet you didn't see this coming!)**_

_**CHAPTER 10**_

"RRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNN NNNN!" after winning about 5 wizard battles, the bandits decided to play…well their own rules, in other words throwing very sharp thins at us. Before ditching the death trap I ran towards the leader and grabbed the elixir hanging upon his neck in a…well necklace. We enter through the cold sickening night and as we run back to the home of Mr. Bones a blade rushes across my shoulder, grazing it. I painfully had to ignore that as we kept rushing towards the safety of the public streets. After about a couple of minutes running on rooftops we've finally found the rooftop of Mr. Bones apartment, which we quickly jumped off landing on our feet with a bit off a shock (and I'm talking 4 stories at least.). We run for the door when suddenly appears a… coffin?

"GO! Vampire!" Alex! He summoned a vampire that drained half of the pursuers' health and give back to his master. "Go, Alex…open…'huff'…open the door…nowwww!" he obeyed the plead opening the door as he stood outside waiting for us, fingers white from the anticipation. I'm 5 feet from the door and I jump in with Elizabeth running over, because I made the mistake to literally jump in and she… well runs me over which led to Alex repeating the pain on me.

"Alex then falls to his knees, I run to his side and stare at the cure, a small vile with a round bottom and slender cylinder top with a cork holding its consents' a small amount of purple liquid. Opening the bottle with my thumb wasn't difficult, then I sort of forced fed it to Alex, drop by drop until it was only filled half way.

Mr. Bones comes to me and hands me my backpack," Quickly you must leave for Mooshu, Malistare just told me to send you to Mooshu in a dream, telling me that the Krokonomicon is already gone." I stare at him and ask,"Wait! How? I mea-"

_**BOOM!**_

The entire area of the cluttered living room is in complete ruins. I hear a very evil laughter. But not of Malistare,"Well, Malistare told me that you Wizards were persistent. I should make my introduction, I am Meowiarity!" I wave my hand to move the dust out of the way and slowly reopen my eyes as I finally see the origin of the voi-HOLY CRUD MONKEYS…IS THAT A CAT!?

What I did probably didn't help my team much for their rep. as I yelled the greatest thing you could think of, "HOLY COW! ARE YOU AN OVER GROWN RAT?" He was tall and slender…but he was pink, and had the face of a cat. He had a tuxedo on and his wide eyes just scared the stuffing from me.

He turns toward me with a humongous scowl, which didn't help the fact that he had wrinkles on his face already. "Duncan Skullrider I presume? Yes, well I guess Malistare did mention you." I look at him with a straight face and reply," AW, he DOES care."

He pulls out a log double bladed sword from his coat (DOES EVERYONE WANT TO KILL ME WITH SOME SHARP OBJECT?) "AHHH!" he comes at me with his blade, but my reactions are sharper than before, I pull out my blade from my backpack and block his attack as sparks fly across the room. "Come on Duncan! We've got to get to Mooshu!" yells Kevin as he runs over the rubble and towards the church. I hit Meowiarty on the head and run along with my friends desperately trying to get to the world gate. But something didn't feel right…like he was letting us go to Mooshu. Elizabeth grabs me from the arm and drags me telling me that she already made friends with the emperor. We reach the church doors, push them open and Elizabeth uses her key to quickly open the gate to the other side…

Only… once she opens it…I'm engulfed in white…HOT, SCALDING, HEAT, then I see nothing but flying debris flinging from the door. I get hit hard from a piece of rock, and I fall…realizing what happened in an instant…

Mooshu…

was destroyed.

"HAHAHA!" uuuggghhh, what…what… who…who's laug-…laugh… _**BLACKNESS.**_

"I open my eyes to a disastrous scene, dark corroded streets, and dead trees everywhere, the sky filled with hatred black smoke like the sky itself was a heavy smoker. Old homes clearly a banded for a numerous amount of years, and ghosts... the street was littered with restless souls all in uniform as if thinking they were still in a war that had ended a millennia ago. I was in a net, at the end of a street which curled to a cul-de-sac and on my right I could faintly see in a glance of a few giant statues on a balcony (sort of) surrounded by lava, not only that but I was alone, without able to feel ok knowing that my friends would've been safe. Then when I look up I gaze upon a tremendous sight unbelievable for words. On top of the citadel of homes was a massive, ACTIVE, volcano and resting upon that, almost frozen in midshout was… THE…

_DRAGON TITAN_. I was in…in… _**DRAGONSPYRE**_. "I struggle to get loose but quickly find it useless. In front of me as guards apparently were 2 scarecrows, floating robes on sticks with a jack-o-lantern for a head and a crow at their side. "Hey! Hey! Dorks! Let me out of here! "Probably not my best idea, But I had to know where my allies were. I start swing back and forth trying to collect precious momentum and grab hold of a nearby branch and hold on to it with an iron grip, hoping the thing would not snap. Ok, now just slowl- "snap" I fall down with a loud _THUMP, _they couldn't hear that right? My guards turn slowly around to notice that I've escaped…sort of. "HHHEEE'SS GGEEETTTTIINNNGG AAAWWAAYYY." Wow, slow talkers, anyways all I had to do was go to my belt where my deck was and summon Taco. Please, please be in there… I look and…YES! They were too stupid to not take my deck. "Gentlemen, may I introduce, Taco!" they looked at each other wondering why I mentioned a form of food. Then I throw the parchment in the air and it burns to ashes followed by a victorious RROOAARR! "AHHH!" is all they had time to shout before being destroyed, leaving a piece of paper on the floor.

A map, and it showed an Ariel figure of Dragonspyre-which I was apparently at the Plaza of Conquests. And now I see a small area circled in red (Dragonspyre Academy). That might be where my friends are. Folding the paper I put it in my backpack and run through the memorized directions. Looking around I see rubble from area to area, feeling sadden by this I silently think how it must've been to live here before the war.

I run, duck, roll and carefully avoid the horrid Draconians, spirits, and other monstrosities now taking residence here. Every now and then I glance up to see the frozen roar of the mighty creature looming over the ghost city. Passing by an area called Necropolis, I quietly run towards the giant doors blocking my destination. Once pushing the door open I unintentionally create a very loud _CREAK_, alerting a couple of ectoplasm fiends. A deep scraping sound intruded the air, filling my ears with: "Hey! Intruder! No wizards are allowed to enter this area! Leave or… well just look on your right." I follow the direction and nearly shriek.

_**Note: if you have a weak stomach I advise to skip to the next paragraph under this next one.**_

On the purple covered flooring only to leave a terrifyingly discoverer: a dead carcass on the floor. Obviously it's been here for a while, shredded purple robes with a rusted staff lying near it, the things hat _was _once a pointed hat like Elizabeth's only with what's left of a feather, and his deck was opened with all the cards spilled around him all yellowed and torn with age. And since it was on its belly with head turned toward the wall, all I could see was the horrible, breath shattering of its skin… howled and filled with large holes where you could see bone, intestines and maggots feeding upon the flesh of this young fellow… my GOD I… I… just can't continue, especially describing the odor the corpse left behind. On the nearly torn off neck was a severely rusted amulet that read:

Anthony TitanFist.

But what came to me wasn't fear or depression. It was pure anger, rage. Only the need to see this…this DAMNED spirits rot…rot for his crimes. I WILL AVENGE YOU ANTHONY!

"YOU… ARE..GOING..TO…HHHEEEELLLL!" I RUN AT HIM, FULL SPEED NOT KNOWING WHAT GOT TO ME. GRABBING MY STAFF I INSERT A _SUNBIRD_ AND AIM FOR THE EVIL DOER. Once out the bird blows a powerful ray of heat towards the villain and nearly destroys him. I'm…I'm seeing red and all I can think was hatred towards these guys…hatred for ending such a young life. Next thing I know I'm ordering the bird to keep hitting the fool when suddenly-"Please! PLEASE, STOP, I GIVE UP! JUST LET ME GO!" am I really hearing this. My scowl lessens and I suddenly feel only one emotion: pity.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE…**NOW**!" I didn't even know spirits could even feel the cold, unsettling emotion of fear. He gets up after the thrashing I just gave him and clumsily gets up and runs away like a coward. I turn toward the grand redden colored doors and prepare myself for the worse…


	11. Chapter 11

_**(this is the last chapter of this book, 'sniff' 'sniff' :( )**_

_**CHAPTER 11**_

"MMM…Mali…Malistare?" there he was. Next to the fire tree just standing there, as if wondering if an axe or chainsaw would be the preferred away to chop off this tree along with the others. Standing here felt… wrong, like I was atop someone's grave. The classes all circled around each other but 2 trees remained on the abandon campus. Without even turning, he states: "Mr. Skullrider? I wasn't expecting you here. Why aren't you with your friends? Got tired of them perhaps?" for a moment I thought he was serious… he is kidding, right?

"You know exactly where they are, don't you, you overgrown...bone?" ok so insults weren't my strong suite. He doesn't even crack a smile at my pathetic attempt of an insult. He simply turns and says;" Duncan, it is Duncan, correct? I do not know where your friends are, nor how you got here without going through Mooshu, but when you find your friends. Come to me… THEN, come and face me. "In a bright flash of black energy, he's gone.

**(6 Hours later)**

I'm slowly dragging my feet through the streets of the God-forsaken world, wondering where my friends are. "ALEX! KEVIN! ELIZABETH!" no response, I'm slowly staring to lose hope, and of course feeling hungry, thirsty, tired, and alone. Without anyone around, I freely let the tears escape the fortress of my eyes, leaking out over my cheeks and freefalling to the Redstone floor. Dropping to my knees and putting my hands over my face, I cry. Feeling as if this is how it's going to end. Like Anthony, who was just another victim of the hellhole of Dragonspyre. I shudder at the thought that I would never be reunited with my only TRUE friends. Why? ...Why? ...WWWHHHHYYYYY?! I can't do this…I can't.

SMACK!

"We leave you for about 12 hours and here you are, crying like a 5-year old?" "ELIZABETH?" looking up I see those perfect brown eyes staring at me with annoyance and…relief? She stares at me for a moment and suddenly: "GET UP SO I CAN HUG YOU STUPID!" I do as she commands and hug her tight for a very long moment, eyes closed, inhaling her presence greedily.

"What! You forget about us?" says Alex walking up to me with Kevin right behind. Call me a loser but I hug them all at once with such relief I fell as though, well, a great weight was lifted off my shoulders. "Well now that we're together again. Now what?" asks Kevin "First we tell each other side of our story." I say.

Elizabeth told me that the 3 of them woke up before me and escaped their net as we were being delivered to D.S. as they were trying to set me free a draconian came up and pushed them off the air balloon the were traveling in which left me in there with the enemy. They were fortunate enough to land at the basilica and got a portal working there and thus went through it, eventually finding me: heartbroken. I told them my side leaving out the corpse. Elizabeth must've figured I was hiding something but didn't ask on. So as we all got up I stared straight at the Dragon Titan and told them what was next in our agenda.

"Guys, I know what we've got to do," I ball my fists and remember Anthony's body. "It's time we fought Malistare." I turn back waiting for someone to object to the idea. Nothing, everyone was ready, just as much as me. "Alright…LET"S GO!"

**(1 HOUR LATER) **

Running through the areas of empty streets was actually easier than expected. Once we got to the area where I found the unfortunate wizard…he was gone…"shudder" I don't even want to know what happened there. We go through the Academy finding the cave leading to our foe. I summon Taco and we all ride towards our final battle. But something didn't feel right…_like_ _I was missing a puzzle piece to a massive picture_. We fly over mounds of lava reaching an opening area on the cliff with an entrance. We break the doors down running through the entrance going through the maze, activating the crystal releasing the door, and then eventually finding the door leading to _**HIM.**_ I was in a white hallway with 2 humungous doors blocking our path, before I could attempt to blast the door Alex blasts it for me without waiting for us. Again some hidden fear was telling me to watch my back… but it's just paranoia…right?

Walking in I see gaps on the wall letting me see areas of the Dragon Titan himself only filling me with worry. I would hate t be against that. "Hurry up" yells Alex, who for some reason seems like he might burst of anticipation, along with the feeling he was getting tired and annoyed with me…huh, I guess it's just the situation only making me feel this way. Once we open another set of doors leading to Malistare we see something that nearly makes me yell "NOOO!"

Cyrus Drake being evaporated in a flash of light. What! How the? That's it it's go time. With all the courage I can muster I yell: "Malistare, your time is up, now it's about time you paid for your crimes!" he turns to look at me and his expression changes to…surprised? "Well, well, well, I believe our time together must end. But something about your group concerns me. Never mind that, _**IT'S ABOUT TIME I END YOUR CONSTANT INTERFERENCE WITH THE REVIVAL OF MY WIFE!" **_what! Is that what this is about? No, no matter what he wants he's caused pain to so many other people. I can't, no, WON"T FORGIVE THAT. Now is the moment of truth as we all yell running towards the enemy.

Suddenly a battle field opens and we all step into position: with me first, then Kevin, then Alex, then Elizabeth, on the other side: Malistare, with his minions: soul servants. I go first; I summon a fire blade which then appears over my head. Kevin summons an ice trap on the 1st soul servant, Alex summons a death prism on Malistare and Elizabeth uses a life trap on the 1st soul servant as well. Malistare summons a death blade as his minions all do minor attacks on Elizabeth, smart creatures. Then with my turn again I notice I have 2 power pips and a normal pip. So I use fire trap on Malistare. Kevin uses Ice blade, Alex uses Death blade, and Elizabeth passes. Malistare attack with a skeletal pirate already and aims for Kevin, his servants all attack Alex this time, but luckily he resists his natural class. My turn and I pass this time, then kev- whoa the ground starts shaking a bit and I see the gaping hole in front of us leads to the Dragon's face and with that rumble come's the opening of the Dragon's eye. Anyways Kevin summons an ice wyvern at the first Soul servant and hits him big, but not big enough because he's still alive. Then Alex…is he smiling? But it's not a normal smile, well he summons a vampire and hits Malistare pretty rough considering the prism. Next Elizabeth summons _Guiding Light_ to herself and it rotates around her waiting for its moment. Malistare's turn is called on again and this time he summons Banshee and now it's aimed at me. 1st servant summons a death blade to himself while the other 2 hit me, hit after hit. I looked at my deck and found _**THE**_ card I needed (well actually 2): Fire Dragon. Well it's time I did the unthinkable: I discard it and wait a little longer. Kevin summons a blizzard hitting all the enemies. 1st soul servant is defeated leaving us only 2 left and one Malistare to go. Alex looks at his deck but his expression seemed twisted underneath that helm of his, he seems to be mumbling to himself: "…soon…very soon Malistare will be defeated." He uses feint on Malistare which added +20% to himself, but +70% on our foe. Elizabeth uses that Bartleby spell on us, which the after affect were spirit armors. Malistare looked like he was sweating but seemed determined to beat us without showing any expression. He summons himself on to the battlefield and hits me for a good 500 damage but I've still got 2134/2234, all thanks to the spirit armor. His last 2 servants summon tower shields and attempt to protect what little health they had left.

Now…it was my turn… I feel the anticipation of the room over me, feeling that this has to be the final draw. The floating deck appears before me, grabbing a card with such fear I almost forget to exhale. The card I drew is… well, this is unexpected. The card I drew is actually a treasure card called: **Monstrous**. Now it's time I combine it with Fire dragon, holding the 2 cards I put the golden colored card atop the reptilian parchment and the cards fuse together to form a greater power then what they could muster on their own. Once I look up I see Malisatre, his face revealing the fact that he knew the outcome already. But before I can even attempt the cast I need to know some things.

"MALISTARE! I need to know… why were you acting like you didn't know what happened at Marelybone. When we all know that you're the one who captured us." He looks at me looking a bit confused and takes a moment to speak his thoughts, replying: "Like I said fool, I did not know where your friends were at the moment. But answer me this, how did you retrieve the spiral key without going into Mooshu?"

Is this a joke? "You know why. You…you…destroyed Mooshu." Elizabeth nearly falls down, she turns to look at me and tells us "so Mooshu… really is gone. But I just became friends with the emperor. He..he… was on his death bed but he still seemed so full of life. He couldn't be…," tears leak upon her cheeks and I notice that her bond with the emperor was longer than I expected. Then she turns to Malistare, eyes bloodshot, filled with hatred as she yells." NOOO! I WON'T LET THIS HAPPEN. I WON'T FAIL THIS QUEST NOW," she seems to be trying very hard not to let herself go to a depression state"I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH IT LIKE HOW YOU DID WITH…WITH ANTHONY!"

Shock…grief...fear. That's really what entered my mind hearing that name. I try to tell Elizabeth of my encounter of the corpse but 2 things stops me. One was the fact that she might break sown hearing that I've meet the body of an old time friend and two was that with the body missing, I was afraid Malistare took over it to frighten the warrior. Malistare nearly seems to yell at us but instead replies with "IMPOSSIBLE, I ONLY LEFT MOOSHU WITH A POWFUL PLAGUE OF MY INFLUENCE. I WOULDN'T DESTROY MOOSHU, ESPECIALLY WITH THE EMPEROR AND I HAVING HISTORY TOGETHER!" what? Ok I'm Very lost. I don't know what to believe, he's got to be lying right? "Ok Malistare, one more question. Who was the assassin you sent after us?"

"What? That is enough of these questions. You see the only time I have done anything directly to you fools was the time in Krokotopia."

"Lies!," I yell, then were interrupted by the roar of the Dragon Titan " You are the only one who could've known where we were at the time to even do anything else. You are th-'

"ENOUGH!," yelled..Alex? He looks agitated with this." Duncan you fool! GET RID OF THE TROUBLESOME NUISANCE NOW! " and he's right. Malistare is a liar and a cheat; he _HAS_ to be the one behind all of our trouble in our journey. "Ok this…IS..THE END FOR YOU MALSTARE!" I INSERT THE SPELL INTPO MY STAFF, AIM AT MALISTARE AND PREPARE FOR THE COMING MOMENT. A FIRE SYMBOL DRAWS IT SELF IN FRONT OF ME AND ERUPTS AFTER THE COMPLETION. THE GROUND TURNS TO LAVA AND DOWN SWOOPS IN THE MIGHTY FIRE DRAGON, ONE LOOK AT THE FIEND AND IT KNOWS WHAT TO DO. BLOWING AN INTENSE BLAST OF PURE FIRE AT HIM HITS FOR A GOOOD CHUNK OF HIS HEALTH SO HE HAS ONLY 235/10,000. I SEE THE SERVANTS GO OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY AND RETREAT TO THE LANDS OF WHICH THEY CAME FROM. THEN KEVIN PASSES, WITH ALEX AND ELIZABETH, BOTH REPEATING THE REJECTION TO SUMMON.

Right before the hangover spell of the mighty dragon can come into effect a bright flash of light appears…a women in an elegant green and white robe with brown luscious curly hair and circular glasses that hang on the tip of her nose, and to top it, she was see through. She was pretty but the way Malistare was gawking at her; I knew he felt only on thing for the spirit…love. She speaks as if shes talking through a microphone that echoes her words in the nea empty cavern: "Malistare…My love, may we be together… forever now. These children have finally put your soul to rest." The pale enemy looks at her and replies in an almost crying voice, heartbroken…but… filled with happiness. "Sylvia…m-my love." he looks down, his hands clutching his robes as he raises his staff and forces it to enter the ground. "Y-yes…we will be togettthhheeerrrr." And they say in unison:

"FOREVER."

Then it was his turn but the over-time affect kicked in, thus concluding Malistare's defeat…and final resting place. He falls to his knees _LITTERALLY_ disappearing. The battle field vanished along with the new-old eternally happy couple. Call me a cry-baby, but I couldn't help letting tears fall as I looked at the celling thinking 'we just saved the spiral and fixed a relationship of an old man's heart. Huh, all in a good day's work'.

So the next thing we do…look at each other and form a group hug. I came to Elizabeth as Kevin came and squeezed us to near death. We were all complementing each other when I noticed Alex wasn't with us. He went towards the staff, must've been heartbroken, having to defeat his professor and all.

"Hey. Um we're about to go back to Wizard city to tell Ambrose of this. Yo…you wanna come? Look I'm…I'm sorry things didn't go the way you might've wanted them, bring Malistare back to Ravenwood. But… I guess we all have to let our friends go sometime," I glance back at Elizabeth who was staring at me, nodding me to go on. "So… you ready?" his back was still facing towards us and his body was pointed towards the hole where the dragon titan could still see us." Then 'lifesaver' comes up and asks, "Come on tall, dark and scary. It's time to celebrate. You've earned it…Legendary Necromancer." I see Alex's shoulders moving up and down and heard him cry. Guess he doesn't want anyone to see him cr- wait he's not crying…is he…_laughing_? He turns a slight 50 degrees towards me and with his head bowed, it looks like the shadows are covering his eyes.

With his right hand over his shoulder, he seem to be grabbing something from his backpack, I see him removing something out of there and in…AAAAAHHHHHH…in…a…a…flash…I look down…at…m-my…chest…o-nnl-ly…to…to discover a long, black, toothed sword…going through…my chest…blood…lots, AAAHHH…lots of it pouring out of me…falling to my knees I…I hear the muffled screams of Kevin and Elizabeth. Then he starts laughing like it's a prank. I'm squinting my eyes tight, only to feel the blade piercing my heart. I slowly look up at him and see the…the…happiness in his eyes. Quickly he pulls the blade out and backs up a few inches, greedily grasping the staff of our recently fallen foe. I ask the only thing I can muster, "W-why?" he looks at me and simply replies, "Because, I was always left behind, no matter the task I would eventually be forgotten. And now THIS! DUNCAN, DON'T YOU REALIZE EVENTUALLY, ALL YOU'LL BE IS A FADED MEMORY?!" I looked at him and pounce on him ready to punch, but I was slower than I thought and he ends up stabbing me in the stomach. UUUUGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH! The pain feels unbearable, I just…I just can't stand it any longer. Finally Elizabeth gets out of her shock along with Kevin and attempt to tackle the traitor. But once he pulled the staff from the ground a huge burst of darkened energy is lifted along and ends up creating a giant explosion sending us all back. As if oozing on him metal grows on Alex to become armor, his arms had the color of the night sky with thorns, long and silver, sticking out of his elbows about the size of a dagger, his legs had grown boots with the trimming color of blood and underneath his armor was black leather that went all the way to his neck, his chest had been covered with oiled colored armor with huge, thick metal, giant shoulder pads that spiked, a symbol was etched to the center of the new clothing and the symbol appeared to be a dragon but circling itself in the color of bone. His mask was what made the old-Alex appear to die and wither from us. Completely made of silver was the helm of a skull. Now at his side were the blood-stained sword and his newly acquired staff. Then out of nowhere dark mist appeared around his back sprouting black angelic wings only to be powered by the dark mist. "WELL, HERO? YOU FEEL POWERFUL NOW?" I won't let it end like this.

"Now, all that's left is one thing." He flies towards the head of the Titan and…no… he implants the staff on the head of the Dragon Titan's head which then a form of green mist comes out with moments later having the Dragon roar shattering the nearby glass. He then points his sword at us shooting a giant ray of dark energy, which causes me to go blind for a moment and once I can clearly see again, I'm free-falling only to painfully land on the roof of a nearby tower with rubble falling all around me like rain. Then…

_**BOOM!**_

THAT WAS THE SOUND OF THE VOLCANO ERUPTING, SPEWING LAVE ALL AROUND THE WHOLE CITY! "ALEX! WHERE ARE YOU!" suddenly I see Kevin and Elizabeth falling down from the peak of the volcano, thank god Kevin raised an ice shield around them, but I lose sight of them as they fall toward a plume of smoke. Suddenly the whole sky thunders at the new member coming to the city, or rather reviving. I see huge chunks of earth fall down from...from…the Titan. He's being revived and now moving his head, shaking like a dog. He moves one arm upward and pulls his head down only to thrust it in the open air with an ear-splitting RROOAARR! He puts his arm on the root of the volcano and gradually starts to make his way downward. Then I'm lifted by some un-known force like..well.._THE FORCE_! And I'm pulled all the way towards the top of the Dragon to face the newly armored Alex. "You see Duncan. We are all here for a reason," I look at him and intertpt to remark, "Then… I…must've…been…put here to…stop… YOU!"

He seems to be staring and asks one thing: "If you join me I will heal you and let you be a part of this new era." I look at him and have only the one response to tell the fool, "Go…to…HHEELL!"

"FINE! HAVE IT YOIR WAY! TELL THE DEMONS IN HELL 'HI' FOR ME YOU DAMN OUTCAST!

With that he stabs me again in the heart twisting the heartless blade in me and once he pulls it out a white light appears in front of me and I gasp, sitting up on a cold, dirtied floor.

The whole sky is blue, but a dark blue, in fact, everything was that color, as blue colored sheet of paper in front of the sun like a light bulb. I stood in the middle of a graveyard where the whole land was lumpy and as far as the eye could see were grave stones, I look down and finally noticed my skin was transparent…so that means. I really am dead.

"NNNoooo" said an almost whispery voice. I look all around me and when I turn a full 90 degrees I see a tall hooded figure with wing like objects sprouting from its back. He held a scythe-like object where the blade was supposed to be straight was almost cured to the point where it looked like a sideways 'C'. When he turned his face was a sunken skin covered skull with hideous glowing eyes. I ask the creature a simple question, "Are you the Grim Reaper?" he shakes his head and in response replies: "Wraitttthhhhhh"

"So when you said no, did you mean I'm not dead? Or I'm still dead but it's not my time?" he held up 2 bony fingers, huh didn't know he's respond like that. "Where am I and what happened to my friends?" he almost 'glides-like' walks toward a grave stone and shows me an image that was forming from the stone, and what it showed was…

_**(Look for: 'A PYROMANCER'S OATH 2: SHATTERED WORLDS' SOON) {TEEHHE :] )**_


End file.
